Let’s get this out of the way: I love good branding. I own a design studio, I understand the power of visuals. But here’s the honest truth: branding is not the first thing your business needs.
In fact, I’ve seen many brilliant, creative, passionate people spend weeks designing a logo, picking a colour palette, tweaking fonts, and building a beautiful website only to launch… and hear crickets.
It’s not because their branding was off. It’s because their offer wasn’t clear.
Why Branding Feels Like the First Step
Branding feels productive. It’s tangible. It gives the illusion of progress. You can show it to people and say, “Look, I’m working on my business!”
But here’s the thing, branding should communicate something. And if you don’t yet know what your offer is, who it’s for, or what problem it solves… what exactly is your brand supposed to say?
A well-designed logo will never fix a vague business model.
Here’s What to Focus On Instead
Before you invest in logos, mood boards, or even a social media presence, take time to clarify your offer. This is what your business actually sells: the value you create for someone else in exchange for money.
Start by answering these four questions:
1. What problem do you solve?
Don’t stay high-level. Get specific.
Not: “I help people feel confident.”
Instead: “I help working mums build a consistent content plan that doesn’t rely on them being online every day.”
2. Who is it for?
Your offer is not for “everyone.” Get clear on your ideal customer.
What stage of life are they in? What do they value? What are they struggling with?
3. What result or transformation do you deliver?
People pay for results, not your process. Can you clearly articulate what will change for them after working with you?
4. Why should they choose you?
This is about positioning. What makes your offer unique, aligned, or more effective? Is it your method, your story, your insight, your audience?
If you can’t clearly answer these four questions, your business doesn’t need a logo yet, it needs clarity.
What Happens When You Start With Clarity
When you know your offer, everything else becomes easier:
- Your content writes itself, because you know what you’re saying and who it’s for.
- Your sales conversations feel natural because you’re solving a real problem.
- Your confidence grows because you’re not “selling yourself,” you’re offering value.
And then, when you’re ready to brand, it’s not guesswork. Your logo, colours, website and visuals will actually mean something because they’re grounded in a message that matters.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting your business to look good. But if you want it to last, start with clarity.
A logo might make your business look professional. But a clear offer will make your business profitable.
So, before you design your brand, define your offer. Clarity always comes before cosmetics.
Looking for help clarifying your offer?
I teach this inside my Passion to Profit masterclass a free session where I show you how to turn what you love into something people actually want to pay for.
Click here to register (https://p2pwebinar.damilawal.org/).